How much is having a major fishing tournament on the waters of Lake Dardanelle worth to Russellville?

Having hundreds of fishing contestants, plus their families, in town has a value of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the local economy, according to a city of Russellville official who helped bring High School Fishing World Finals to the Arkansas River Valley this week.

This is the fourth consecutive year Russellville has hosted the tournament. The event, which will take place on the waters of Lake Dardanelle, will host approximately 130 high school fishing teams from across the United States, as well as from Canada.

Most of the participants, along with their families, have arrived and checked into various hotels around the city, according to Christie Graham, director of the Russellville Advertising and Promotion (A & P) Commission.

“We estimate that there are going to be about 750 to 800 people in town,” Graham said. “They will be here through Saturday, and the remainder of the visitors will probably leave on Sunday.”

These visitors will also be eating in local restaurants and spending money for necessities and gas during their week in Russellville.

Graham said that the economic impact that the annual event has on the city of Russellville is beyond a positive number, and that the city of Russellville is both grateful and proud to host the event for a fourth time.

“We were the first city to ever host this, and we are now seeing the event’s fourth year in Russellville,” Graham said. “If they weren’t happy with Russellville, they would have moved on, and it means so much to the local economy to have this event here. I mean, think about it, that is over 750 people in Russellville for a seven day period. That’s a huge impact.”

Graham said that economically, the High School Fishing World Finals is by far one of Russellville’s most important events. She said that even when considering the monetary impact alone, it is stunning.

“If you calculate the financial income that the city will receive from 750 families staying in hotels for just five days, it equates to a very rough figure of around $100,000,” Graham said. “Like I said, it’s a very rough calculation and it’s not intended to be an accurate statement, but it really gives people an idea of how much visitors and tourists really benefit the local economy.”

According to Graham, the event is important to the local economy, and that this event and all other events should be welcomed by the people and be treated with respect.

“I hope people see that this event is not just really big, but that it is important as well,” Graham said. “When you see one of the participants or families in a parking lot, be polite, be respectful to them, and please let them know that they are welcomed into our community.”